


Christmas Eve

by therecognitionscene



Series: Fauns and Veterans [2]
Category: Sherlock (TV)
Genre: Developing Relationship, Fauns, Fawnlock, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-29
Updated: 2014-12-29
Packaged: 2018-03-04 02:17:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 895
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2905580
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/therecognitionscene/pseuds/therecognitionscene
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A little Christmas Eve drabble featuring our favorite faun babe Richie and his big grumpy veteran Severin.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Christmas Eve

**Author's Note:**

  * Translation into Русский available: [Канун Рождества](https://archiveofourown.org/works/3141362) by [Fox_Thom](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fox_Thom/pseuds/Fox_Thom)



“Ya lil’ rascal, you’re not supposed t’eat this one! This one’s for _decoration_!”

A set of big brown eyes blink innocently up at him in confusion, and the mock scowl on Severin’s face quickly melts into a crooked smile. After all, how can he even pretend to be mad at Richard when the little faun has one of the branches from their Christmas tree clamped in his mouth and the tips of his soft ears poking out from underneath a big fluffy Santa hat?  
The wee creature spits the branch out and finishes chewing up the needles he had bitten off before beaming brightly at Severin. “Christmas!” He chirps, bouncing on his little bum underneath the freshly cut tree. Severin hasn’t even had a chance to put the tree skirt down yet; Richard had been far too excited when Severin had dragged the big tree inside, and had insisted on circling it several times to breathe in the fresh pine scent. Only after he’d finished giving it a big hug had he settled down on the floor underneath it, and that’s where Severin had found him when he’d walked into the living room with boxes of lights and ornaments in his arms.

“There’s plenty’a pines out there in the forest for you to munch on, Richie, don’t worry. Leave this poor one alone. See, look? I’ve got all sorts of things that we can hang on this tree, to make it all pretty and nice.” With a huff he sets the boxes down, stretching his aching back with a groan. Richard crawls over with excited chitters and immediately starts poking around in the boxes. He pops back up with a strand of fake cranberries in his little hands, cooing happily.

“Rin! Brrrrrr-ies!”

“No, see, Richie? They’re not real cranberries. They’re fake. You can’t eat ‘em.” Severin gives one a squeeze and shakes his head. “Just for decoration. Just for looks. There’s some blackberries in the kitchen, though. Y’want ‘em?”

Richard nods enthusiastically and Severin chuckles. “Alright, ya little glutton. Shoulda known you’d eat me outta house and home when I brought you in here.” He pats Richard’s head and straightens the faun’s Santa hat out before making his way to the kitchen. He grabs the big carton full of plump blackberries and a little glass of milk sweetened with honey—Richard’s favorite. For a moment he pauses by the window, a small smile on his face as he looks out at the softly falling snow.

His garden lays dormant and tranquil under an icy blanket, and he’s content with the knowledge that in just a few months he’ll be back out there in the dirt starting his spring crops. The pantry is still full of fruits and vegetables from the summer and fall, and what he can’t provide for himself and the faun from his larders, he supplements with groceries bought from the little shop in town.

When he returns to Richard with snacks aplenty, he nearly snorts with laughter. The small, sweet creature has taken the cranberry strings and draped them along his shoulders, adorning the tips of his ears with shiny gold ornaments. The big red star that Severin uses as a tree-topper is balanced precariously on the faun’s head, and Richard is smiling from ear to ear. “Christmas! Christmas Richie!”

“The best damned Christmas Richie I ever did see,” Severin agrees with a chuckle, setting the tray he’d piled up with food down on the coffee table. “Lookit you, all festive and dressed up. All we need to do is string a few lights on you and then we’d be good’ta go.” He kneels down in front of Richard and gives the tip of the faun’s nose a kiss, if only to watch the way Richard’s cheeks go pink as the faun smiles.

Once they have Richard un-decorated, and they’ve had a nice big snack, they spend the rest of the snowy afternoon decorating the tree. Severin holds Richard in his arms and lets the faun hang ornaments up on the highest branches, and together they put the star on top.

When night falls, the darkness finds the two of them cuddled up together in Severin’s armchair. Richard loves sitting in the man’s lap and wrapping himself up in a blanket, and Severin can never deny the sweet thing what he wants. There’s a fire crackling in the woodstove and two big stockings hanging on the mantelpiece. Severin is reading _The Night Before Christmas_ out loud and Richard is yawning and smiling softly.

When the story is finished and Richard is snoozing gently against his chest, Severin hugs him tight and kisses the top of his little horned head.

“Your first Christmas, huh, Richie?” He murmurs as Richard nuzzles closer and lets out a content sigh.

Outside in the dark, the snow is falling silently and steadily. But inside, in the warmth and gentle light of a fire, Severin and Richard are warm and cozy, happy dreams of bright twinkling lights and Severin’s laughter dancing through the faun’s head.

Severin smiles softly down at his happy little bundle of Richard, his grumpy old heart warm and full of love. With a sigh of his own he closes his eyes and starts to drift off, but not before giving the faun one more kiss to his forehead.

“Merry Christmas, wee one. Merry Christmas.”


End file.
